54 A YEAR IN BRAZIL. 



Some very pretty basket-work is made here from the 

 pith of a creeper called " sipao," which is dyed different 

 bright colours. 



Leaving at midday, we continued our journey, and 

 crossed the Para just below the village; the river then 

 turns abruptly to the left, and, taking a considerable bend, 

 flows far away from the road we travelled. In passing 

 through a forest, Bithell, thinking he would try his shooting 

 powers while riding, fired at a tree with his revolver. The 

 shot glancing off touched my camarade on the shoulder. 

 He yelled a thousand murders, but he — unlike Rufus, both 

 in name, which was Fortunato, and in colour, being du.sky 

 — was only frightened, and not hurt in the least. 



At 5.15 p.m. we reached the Cidade do Rio de Peixe, 

 and, inquiring as to the whereabouts of the camp of the 

 second section, were informed it was a league and a half 

 away by the Rio Para. We, therefore, hired a guide for two 

 milreis to take us there, and went through the picturesque 

 village which is on the top of a hill. It has very steep 

 streets, and there is much soft white sandstone about. 

 After leaving the church the road descends rapidly, 

 passing through a gorge cut in the white sandstone some 

 eight feet wide by twenty deep, overhung by shrubs and 

 grass, wherein were the nests of humming-birds. 



From the summit near the church we had a fine view 

 of the valley of the Rio de Peixe, as far as its junction with 

 the Rio Para, some two leagues and a half distant. At 

 5.50 we crossed the Rio de Peixe — five hundred feet below 

 the level of the town — then ascended another hill, and in 

 half an hour had reached an altitude of only a hundred feet 

 below the town. At this point, the sun having set, we had 

 a splendid view. All round us, except where the hill we 

 were on hid the view, were numerous ranges of mountains. 



